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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Natural Carbon Sequestration In The Commonwealth, Carbon Sequestration Task Force, Virginia Coastal Policy Center, William & Mary Law School, Virginia Institute Of Marine Science
Natural Carbon Sequestration In The Commonwealth, Carbon Sequestration Task Force, Virginia Coastal Policy Center, William & Mary Law School, Virginia Institute Of Marine Science
Virginia Coastal Policy Center
The Virginia General Assembly created the Carbon Sequestration Task Force in 2021 to examine the feasibility and potential to increase carbon sequestration in the Commonwealth. Specifically, the Task Force must (i) consider possible methods of increasing carbon sequestration within the natural environment through state land and marine resources use policies; agricultural, aquacultural, and silvicultural practices; and other practices to achieve natural resources restoration and long-term conservation; (ii) recommend short-term and long-term benchmarks for increasing carbon sequestration; (iii) develop a standardized methodology to establish baseline carbon levels and account for increases in carbon sequestration over time; (iv) identify existing carbon markets …
Protecting Water Quality In Virginia: Recommendations To Combat Sea Level Rise And Increased Storm Events, Madhavi Kulkarni
Protecting Water Quality In Virginia: Recommendations To Combat Sea Level Rise And Increased Storm Events, Madhavi Kulkarni
Virginia Coastal Policy Center
Impairment of Virginia waters is tied to coastal storm hazards and sea level rise because excess floodwaters are contaminated by flood-exposed industrial and residential facilities, and these toxic floodwaters flow into the state’s water bodies. In Virginia, thousands of industrial facilities can potentially be subjected to the effects of stormwater flooding, hurricane storm surge, and sea level rise, in turn affecting water quality. Failing or unmaintained septic systems also pose a major threat to the quality of Virginia waters that increases with recurrent inundation by flood waters. A combination of changes to law and policy and investment in infrastructure are …
Carbon Market Opportunities In Virginia: Eelgrass, Marshes, Soils, And Forests, Imani Y. Price
Carbon Market Opportunities In Virginia: Eelgrass, Marshes, Soils, And Forests, Imani Y. Price
Virginia Coastal Policy Center
Carbon sequestration is the storage and capture of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Preserving carbon sequestering sources helps mitigate climate change. Eelgrass, marshes, soils, and forests all sequester carbon. Unfortunately, they are vulnerable to climate change and human development. This paper examines how these sources of carbon sequestration can be incorporated into Virginia’s climate change policies, including the creation of a carbon market. Among other aims, a carbon market would incentivize the preservation and restoration of these species, providing important environmental and economic benefits. The first section of this paper identifies several sources of carbon sequestration, as well as their …
Eelgrass In Virginia: Assessing Opportunities And Obstacles For Blue Carbon Credits, Michael Jordan, Imani Price
Eelgrass In Virginia: Assessing Opportunities And Obstacles For Blue Carbon Credits, Michael Jordan, Imani Price
Virginia Coastal Policy Center
This Paper seeks to explore a few of the questions that eelgrass restoration project proponents will need to consider prior to participating in a voluntary carbon credit market, like the VCS [Verified Carbon Standard]. Part I of this Paper explores whether the Commonwealth of Virginia could participate as a project proponent in a voluntary carbon credit market, and then analyzes both constitutional limitations and statutory limitations on the current state agency charged with overseeing the state-owned bottomlands—the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC). It also explores a few possible solutions to constitutional and statutory issues. Assuming that the eelgrass restoration activities …
Federal Funding Programs: Benefit-Cost Analyses And Low To Moderate Income Communities, Kelsey Mcneill, Alyssa Glass
Federal Funding Programs: Benefit-Cost Analyses And Low To Moderate Income Communities, Kelsey Mcneill, Alyssa Glass
Virginia Coastal Policy Center
“Global average sea level has risen by about 7-8 inches (about 16-21cm) since 1990, with about 3 of those inches (about 7 cm) occurring since 1993.” Since both the ocean and the atmosphere are getting warmer, global sea levels are projected to rise at an increased rate over the coming centuries. Unsurprisingly, rise in sea level disproportionately negatively impacts coastal communities. For instance, a combination of high magnitude storms and sea level rise causes dangerous flooding to occur farther inland than in the past. Higher sea levels will also cause communities to flood more frequently around high tide even in …
Balancing Act: Water Quality Protection And Flood Resilience, Samatha Becker
Balancing Act: Water Quality Protection And Flood Resilience, Samatha Becker
Virginia Coastal Policy Center
Flood resilience efforts and laws designed to protect water quality may not always be compatible under current Virginia law. This paper will discuss two examples in particular. First, there can be tensions between the water quality goals under the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act and efforts to conduct flood resilience projects within 100 feet of the shoreline in Tidewater Virginia. Second, there are significant challenges faced by localities seeking to comply with the Virginia Stormwater Management Program, while also continuing to mitigate the impacts of flooding. These two examples stem from the larger question facing Virginia: as flooding increases, how does …
The Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act: Proposed Modifications To Improve Resilience To Sea Level Rise, Christopher Antoine
The Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act: Proposed Modifications To Improve Resilience To Sea Level Rise, Christopher Antoine
Virginia Coastal Policy Center
There are a number of ways to increase resiliency to sea level rise, and localities should consider all of the potential methods available to them, as not all methods are feasible in every locality. This paper will examine how the CBPA [Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act, the "Act"] currently works to protect water quality and its current capability to help localities improve resilience. It will also consider some potential changes to the CBPA and other programs that may increase the Act’s ability to promote community resilience to sea level rise through rational development while maintaining the water quality benefits that the …
Costs Of Doing Nothing: Economic Consequences Of Not Adapting To Sea Level Rise In The Hampton Roads Region, Greg Van Houtven, Brooks Depro, Daniel Lapidus, Justine Allpress, Benjamin Lord, Virginia Coastal Policy Center, William & Mary Law School
Costs Of Doing Nothing: Economic Consequences Of Not Adapting To Sea Level Rise In The Hampton Roads Region, Greg Van Houtven, Brooks Depro, Daniel Lapidus, Justine Allpress, Benjamin Lord, Virginia Coastal Policy Center, William & Mary Law School
Virginia Coastal Policy Center
October of 2016 brought Hurricane Matthew to coastal Virginia, providing once again an illustration of the vulnerability of the Hampton Roads region and economy to the threats and impacts of flooding and the role of sea level rise in those impacts. The hurricane prompted Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe to state, “Climate change is real. Sea-level rise is happening. We’ve got to get into the game.” Indeed, sea level rise, combined with 14 to 17 inches of rain that fell in the region during the hurricane, damaged over 2,000 homes (many that were outside the flood zone and not covered by …